The current starting XI

I'd have thought Patterson and/or Dixon would have made the bench just in case Tarkowski might be out injured for the first few weeks which might also mean Welch and maybe Graham, is it, the young Irish striker? Not perfect but does give us the permitted number of players if we sign nobody as unlikely as that is.

How late at night was this lineup created, and how much Scotch was involved?

I hope we’ve got some more pace on the RW too. McNeill is fine but the team improves a lot by having dynamism on both flanks. Equally I think Garner is fine but probably not a top ten player. Upgrades at RW, CM and RB for me.

RB, LB (Mykolenko is solid but not spectacular and we need better) we need better players
CM we could do with 1 quality addition if not 2 to replace Doucoure and also Garner in the first team
RW we need quality
Then a striker, presuming Barry.

That’s at least 5-6 players we need in before the season starts to give us the best chance of starting strong. Was hoping we’d have got a couple of deals lined up early tbh

In the original post I did have Beto with Barry in brackets as he is not confirmed yet. I can only assume Michael doesn’t like Beto so he dropped them to the bench.
I actually think Moyes will have Charley on the bench but I must admit to leaving him off the subs list because by that time I had realized that we’re not gonna get as many changes as we hoped for.

Alcaraz for Iroegbunam. Beto for Barry (if he signs).

If it wasn't for not having the proper wingbacks, we could experiment with 3-5-2, but with the ones who could play there, it would be more like a 5-3-2.

What it does show, is that it is pretty much last seasons team. We some of transfer speculation to become firm news and Gana's contract confirmed.

Barry, if he signs, will be on the bench and brought in gradually. Possibly on the right wing if we don't get a move on with bringing in players in that position.

Pickford
Patterson O’Brien Branthwaite Mykolenko
Garner Gueye
Alcaraz Ndiaye McNeil
Beto

Subs: Tyrer, Coleman, Keane, Iroegbunam, Armstrong, Chermiti (Tarks out injured)

What I hope to see by the time the window closes:

Pickford
New_RB O’Brien Branthwaite Mykolenko
Gueye Garner
Alcaraz Ndiaye McNeil
Beto

Other squad members: New_GK, Tyrer, Patterson, Keane, Tarkowski, New_LB, New_MF, Iroegbunam, Armstrong, New_RW, New_CF (Barry?), Chermiti

However I don't think Moyes rates him as highly as we do as his defending is a bit loose.

I think he may alternate Ndiaye and Alcaraz in that forward support position especially if we get some goalscoring forwards in.

Ajay @ 11 teams look the obvious picks for me.

I love Alcaraz. He has good technique and can score goals. However, I don't think Moyes rates him as highly as we do as his defending is a bit loose.

I think he may alternate Ndiaye and Alcaraz in that forward support position especially if we get some goalscoring forwards in.

Alcaraz will come on as a sub as last season and I do hope we get Barry, though I think Beto will be first choice. Moyes has said that a player coming into the Premier League will have to work himself into the squad.

Answering your question regarding loans, I can see Harrison coming back.

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Call me old school, but I think if you are going to make a selection for the starting XI, then perhaps you should name 11 players, not 12.

Sorry I picked the wrong one, but you had Beto on the field and on the bench, so I felt compelled to choose one and not the other for you.

But then I saw you only named 5 on the bench, which is a bit half-arsed if you don't mind me saying.

I think if you're going to do the line-up thing, you need to be solid and unwavering in your commitment, decide which players you have at your disposal, choose 11 for the pitch and 9 for the bench. Anything less is, er, dropping the ball.

But I suppose we are down at least 3 goalkeepers, so admittedly you couldn't very easily do the modern-day trick of padding out the subs bench when short on real numbers...

Just checked the club site and we have 18 first team players, including only 2 keepers, Gana Gueye who has not (officially) signed and Harrison Armstrong who would not count in the 25-man Premier League squad due to his age.